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          2013 - 2017 Kai Kramer

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<html>
    <head>
        <title>About KeyStores</title>
        <link rel=stylesheet href="help.css" type="text/css">
    </head>

    <body>

        <h1>About KeyStores</h1>
        <hr>

        KeyStore Explorer can be used to <a href="createNewKeyStore.html">create</a>,
        edit and <a href="saveKeyStore.html">save</a> KeyStore files.
        A KeyStore is a storage mechanism for cryptographic tokens.  Such tokens
        are known as entries.  KeyStore entries can be one of the following types:

        <ul>
            <li>
                <a href="aboutTrustedCertificates.html">Trusted Certificate</a>
                Contains a single public key certificate.
            </li>
            <li>
                <a href="aboutKeyPairs.html">Key Pair</a>
                Holds a private key and its associated chain of
                one or more certificates.
            </li>
            <li>
                <a href="aboutKeys.html">Key</a>
                Contains a single cryptographic key.
            </li>
        </ul>

        Each entry in a KeyStore is identified by a different alias or entry name.
        Entries also store their last modified date/time.

        <p>

        KeyStores are password protected.  The password is required to load the
        KeyStore and a password will be requested when saving a KeyStore for the
        first time.

        <p>

        Key Pair entries are also password protected.  A password is required to access
        the private key part of a Key Pair entry.

        <p>

        There are various different types of KeyStore supported by KeyStore Explorer:

        <ul>
            <li>
                <b>JKS</b>
                Java KeyStore.  Oracle's KeyStore format.
            </li>
            <li>
                <b>JCEKS</b>
                Java Cryptography Extension KeyStore.  More secure version of JKS.
            </li>
            <li>
                <b>PKCS #12</b>
                Public-Key Cryptography Standards #12 KeyStore.  RSA's KeyStore format.
            </li>
            <li>
                <b>BKS</b>
                Bouncy Castle KeyStore.  Bouncy Castle's version of JKS.
            </li>
            <li>
                <b>BKS-V1</b>
                Older and incompatible version of Bouncy Castle KeyStore. 
            </li>
            <li>
                <b>UBER</b>
                Bouncy Castle UBER KeyStore.  More secure version of BKS.
            </li>
        </ul>

        All of the KeyStores operate identically when managed with KeyStore Explorer
        with the exception of PKCS #12 KeyStores.
        Unlike other KeyStore types, PKCS #12 KeyStores do not store
        the last modified date and time of entries.  When viewing a PKCS #12
        KeyStore the <b>Last Modified</b> column will always be blank.

        <br><br>

        <hr>

        <center><small>Copyright 2004 - 2013 Wayne Grant, 2013 - 2017 Kai Kramer</small></center>

    </body>
</html>
